Mechanical poultry picker



May 25, 1943. E. E. MCMAHAN ET Al. Re- 22,323

MECHANICAL POULTRY PICKER Original Filed Dec. 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR5 Ed c25/ti. /Wc Mahan BY nopne 822627262110225 ATTORNEY.

May 25, 1943.

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fn y INVENTOR Eddy ,EL/llc Mahan, .H7/Zonne UharZeb ATTORNEY May 25, 1943. E. E. MCMAHAN ET AL R- 22,323

MECHANICAL POULTRY PICKER Original Filed Dec. l5, 1939' 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Il f/ ATTORNEY.

May 25, 1943. E E MCMAHAN ETAL Re. 22,323

MECHANICAL POULTRY PICKER 'Original 'Filed Dec. 13, 1939 4 .Sheets-Sheet 4 7|? Gif 23 l 1 To .710 LU] 7/ 2lb /9 '0 /6 Ira' f3 #a Ifo 39 a6 o 7 f2 Eddy lima/Mahan' .inzio/vn@ 072 arZebo/z/s INVENTIORS m E* f l f,

ATTO R NEY Beissued May 25, 19.43

MECHANICAL POULTRY PICKER Eddy E. McMahan, Los Angeles, Calif., and Antoine Charlebois, Bellingham, Wash.; said Eddy E. McMahan assignor to Ward D.

McMahan, Port Angeles, Wash. Original No. 2,235,619, dated March 18, 1941, Se-

rial No. 309,088, December 13, 1939.

Application for reissue March 14, 1942, Serial No.

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a mechanical poultry picker and has for an object to provide a device of this character having rotating drums provided with radially disposed rubber fingers adapted to impinge against poultry and strip the feathers therefrom during a single operation oi' dipping the poultry between the drum.

A further object is to provide a device of this character in which poultry is held by the legs and hangs head downward from a clamp carried by a shaft mounted for vertical movement to quickly lower and raise the poultry relatively to the feather stripping drums, the shaft, also having rotary movement on its axis through an arc of 90. at its upper limit of movement to permit the clamp to be swung tothe side of the machine for replacing stripped poultry with poultry to be de-feathered.

A further object is to provide a device of this character having simplified mechanism for actuating and timing the movement of the shaft and clamp.

A further object is to provide a device of this character having a novel poultry clamp comprising two superposed arms, the upper arm being movable endwise with respect to the lower arm, the lower arm having slots and the upper arm having hooks coacting with the slots to clamp the legs of poultry.

A fur-ther object is to provide a device of this character which will be formed of a few strong simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

with the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacriilcing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mechanical poultry picker constructed in accordance with the invention and showing the shaft and clamp in lowered operative positionv in full lines and in raised and swung laterally position in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, diagrammatic as respects the stripping drums, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing the shaft raised at its upper limit of movement and showing the poultry clamp between and above the stripping rollers.

Figure 3 is a plan view, diagrammatic as respects the stripping drums, of the device show.

ing the clamp arm in the position shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 ofFigure 1 showing the mechanism for actuating the shaft.

Figure 5 is a detail vertical sectional View showing the cams for respectively moving the shaft vertically and turning the shaft axially through an arc of Figure 6 is a detail view in elevation showing the cams turned oppositely to the position shown in Figure 5.

Figure 'l is a detail transverse sectional view taken on the line 1--1 of Figure 6, showing the shaft rotating mechanism in top plan.

Figure 8 is a plan view of the poultry clamp in 'open position.

Figure 9 is a detail cross sectional view of one of the stripping rollers showing the rubber stripping fingers.

Figure 10 is a side elevation of one of the stripping fingers.

Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, III designates a` pair of stripping drums mounted on respective shafts II carried by bearings I2 which are secured to the upper horizontal bars I3 of a frame I4 which may be formed of angle iron material and supports walls I5 which form a casing or housing for the operating mechanism and the lower portions of the stripping drums.

As best shown in Figure 9, each stripping drum comprises a cylindrical hub I6 which is secured to the shaft I I. A plurality of rubber lingers Il are disposed to extend laterally from the hub, each nger having a disk head I8 and a plurality of laterally disposed projections I9.' The heads of all of the fingers are clamped to the hub IG by a cylindrical shell 2li having openings 2l to receive the fingers. The shell is secured to the hub by screws 22 or other connectors The stripping drums are rotated toward each other and the stripping lingers are moved in a path in close proximity to each other without interdigitating. Thus, when poultry is dipped between the drums the fingers will impinge against the feathers and yield suiilciently to conform to the contour of the poultry while fo'rcefully beating the feathers oil the poultry, this beating action being assisted by the projections I9 of the fingers whichextend over all the feathered area.v and effectively de-feather the poultry.

For raising and lowering poultry relatively to the stripping drums a vertically disposed shaft 23, best shown in Figure 5, has a sleeve 24 mounted thereon and provided at the upper end with a head 25 which is supported on the upper end of a tubular bearing 2S in which the sleeve is rotatably mounted. The bearing is provided with a ilange 21 which is bolted to the frame as shown at 28 in Figure 1. The sleeve is provided with a longitudinal spline 2l. shown also in Figure '1. which enters a longitudinal groove 3l in the shaft. shown best in Figure 6. and permits the shaft to be moved vertically up and down in the sleeve and to be rotated on its axis when the sleeve is rotated in the bearing.

The sleeve is secured at the bottom to a crank arm 3| by a set screw l. A link 32 is connected to the crank arm and is cam actuated, as will be presently described. to turn the sleeve axially through an arc of 90 alternately with the raising and the lowering of the shaft. 'I'he shaft is provided at the bottom with a collar 33 which rotatably receives the shaft and is confined by the ball bearing assemblies 34 on the shaft to permit the shaft to turn easily in the collar. A crank arm 3l is pivotally connected to the collar at one end and is pivotally connected at the opposite end to a cam operated lever 36 for raising and lowering the shaft, as will later be described in detail.

The poultry clamp is best shown in Figure 8 to comprise apair of superposed arms 31 and 36, the

slid outwardly on the lower arm, as best shown in Figure 3, to grip the legs of poultry lll, as shown in Flgure2.

The lower arm 33 is provided with a split ring collar 43. best shown in Figures 5 and 6, which is secured to the upper end of the shaft 23 by clamp bolts 43. 'I'he upper arm 3l is provided with a longitudinal slot Il to slidely receive the upper end of the shaft l23 as best shown in Figure 8. Beyond the slot the arm is provided with a curved cam finger Ii which is adapted to engage an abutment rod which extends vertically from the securing flange 21 of the bearing 26.

When the shaft 23 is turned to swing the clamp from a position across the machine above the stripping drums. to a position longitudinally of the frame il, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1, the cam finger will strike the abutment rod I6 during the nnal stage of turning movement and will withdraw the upper arm 3l rearwardly along the lower arm 33 to open the hooks 40 and permit a de-feathered fowl to be replaced with a feathered fowl. When the clamp on shaft 23 is swung back again through an arc of 90", a

helical spring l1 retracts the upper arm out- 4 wardly on the lower arm, and, as the cam finger 45 rides oiI of the abutment rod 46, closes the hooks to securely clamp the feathered poultry by the legs. head downward, for application to the stripping drums. The spring 41 is connected at one end to the upper arm 31 by a pin 48, and is connected at the other end to a pin 49, which is secured to the lower arm 33 and is slidely fitted in a slot B formed in the upper arm.

For actuating the stripping drums, an electric motor is mounted on a belt tightener 8 which is secured to the frame Il. The shaft of the motor is equipped with a pulley 52 over which and a pulley 53 on the shaft of one of the stripping drums a'crossed belt il is trained. Likewise the motor shaft is equipped with a pulley 55 over which and a pulley 56 on the shaft of the other stripping drum a loop belt 51 is trained. When the motor is started both stripping drums will be rotated toward each other. as indicated by the arrow heads in Figure 1.

For actuating the raising and lowering mechanism of the clamp carrying shaft 23, and also for actuating the axial turning movement of the shaft. a pulley il is secured to the motor shaft and over this pulley and a pulley 5! on a shaft Il carried by the frame, as shown in Figures l and 4, a belt II is trained. The shaft ill forms a driver for two speed reduction gear trains 62 and 63, which need not be described in detail, and which terminate in respective slow speed shafts il and 35. as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The shafts 8l and 65 are journaled at the ends in bar-like bearing providing means 66 and Il which are carried by the frame as shown best in Figure 2. The shafts 6I and 65 drive respective cams 63 and Il, best shown in Figures 5 and 6, for controlling movement of the shaft 23.

The cam V63 is pear-shaped and actuates a cross head 1l which slides upon the shaft il. The cross head is equipped with a roller il .which is held by a spring l2 against, the edge of the cam 6l. The cross head is pivotally connected to the link 32 which rotates the sleeve 24 to impart axial turning movement to the shaft 23.

'I'he cam 69 is kidney-shaped and actuates the lever 36 which raises and lowers the shaft 23. The lever 36 is pivoted at one end, as shown at 13, to the frame and between its pivoted end and its pivotal connection with the li-nk 35 is provided with a roller 14 which rides Aupon the peripheral edge of the cam.

In operation, due to the respective shapes of the cams, the shaft 23 will have four movements during each complete revolution of the cam shafts 64 and 6l, which, it will be pointed out, are driven at the same speed. First the cam 6l will present one of its sloping sides to the roller ll, and move the cross head from the position shown in Figure 5 toward the right of the figure, and will rotate the shaft 23 through 90 to swing the poultry clamp to its operative position above and between the stripping drums il. whereupon the concentric peripheral edge of the cam is presented to the roller and the cam is ineffective to rotate the shaft 23, but during this ineffective period of the cam 6I the cam 69 presents its high eccentric peripheral edge to the roller 14 and as the roller rides down the edge the shaft 23 will be lowered to dip the feathered fowl between the` stripping drums. The dipping operation may pause slightly while the fowl is lodged between the stripping drums, since the slight curve of the eccentric low side of the cam 63 is presented to the roller 1I. As the roller rides up again on the high concentric side of the cam, the roller is raised to lift the shaft 23.

When the shaft 23 arrives at its upper limit of movement the pear-shaped cam 68 has turned to present its other inclined edge to the roller il and permit the spring i2 to pull the cross head outwardly and move the link 32 to rotate the shaft 23 and swing the clamp back to a position longitudinally of the machine for replacement of a de-feathered fowl with a feathered fowl.

If desired curved shells 15 may be disposed on the frame to overhang the stripping drums and prevent feathers being carried out of the housing.

From the above description, it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention 'twirill be fully understood without further explana- What is claimed is:

1. A machine of the character described comprising. a pair of rotatable feather removing a head formed thereon to prevent it from yparting from the drum, said ilnger'sbeing adapted to beat substantially the entire feathered'area of a fowl, means to support a single fowl and subject the same to the action of said drums, said means including a vertically movable shaft, a clamp carried by the upper end of the shalt adapted to suspend poultry by the legs head downward, means for raising and lowering the shaft, and means for intermittently rotating the shaft through an arc of 90 when in its uppermost position.

2. A machine of the character described comprising, a pair of rotatable feather removing beater drums, radially disposed rubber fingers projecting from the drums, said fingers being adapted to beat substantially the entire feathered area of a fowl, means to support a single vfowl and subject the same to the action of said drums, said means including a vertically movable shaft, superposed arms having relative sliding movement horizontally on the upper end of the shaft and having coacting recesses adapted to clamp the legs of poultry, spring means for holding said arms in clamping position, cam means for sliding said arms against the tension of the spring means, means for raising and lowering the shaft, and means for intermittently rotating the shaft through an arc of 90 to operate said cam means when the shaft is in its uppermost position.

3. A machine of the character described comprising, a pair of rotatable feather removing beater drums, radially disposed rubber fingers projecting from the drums, said fingersv being adapted to beat substantially the entire feathered area of a fowl, means to support a single fowl and subject the same to the action of said drums, said means includinga vertically disposed shaft, a sleeve splined to the shaft, a stationary bearing for mounting the sleeve, cam meansconnected to the sleeve for intermittently rotating the sleeve, a collar rotatably mounted on the bottom of the shaft, cam means connected to the collar for raising and lowering the shaft, the arrangement being such that the shaft is rotated by the sleeve before and after vertical movement of the shaft, superposed arms having relative sliding movement horizontally on the upper end of the shaft and having coacting recesses adapted to clamp the legs of poultry, spring means for holding said arms in clamping position, a cam finger carried by one of the arms, and an abutment adaptedto engage said cam nger when the arms are swung to their limit of movement in one direction for sliding said arms against the tension of the spring means to release the poultry.

4. In a mechanical poultry picker, a fowl supporting means for supporting a fowl in hanging position, a fowl picker means of the striker type for picking a fowl, comprising a pair of rotatable members, each provided with flexible fingers; mechanism for rotating Ithe said members in opposite directions with the fingers on the surfaces of said members adjacent said fowl supporting means approaching each other, means for moving the fowl supporting means to positions directly above the fowl picking means and then moving it away; and means vertically reciprocating one of said means toward and from said fowl picking position synchronized to operate when the fowl is hung directly above the fowl picking means.

5. A mechanical fowl picker device of the striker type comprising a means of pair of rotatable members. each rotatable member being provided with flexible fingers: a fowl supporting means for freely supporting a fowl in depending position between said rotatable members; mechanism for rotating the said members in opposite directions with the ngers on the surfaces of said members adjacent said fowl supporting means approaching each other and simultaneously beating and flexing when contacting the depending fowl, whereby the beating force applied to the fowl is distributed to both sides of the fowl; and means providing relative vertical movement between the fowl supporting means and the `picking means, whereby a fowl is moved into and out of picking position.

6. A mechanical fowl picker device of the striker type comprising a means consisting of a pair of rotatable members; a fowl supporting means for freely supporting a fowl in depending position between said rotatable members; means for vertically reciprocating one of said means to and from fowl picking position; flexible fingers mounted on said rotatable members for contacting a fowl with positive inward and downward pressures while said fowl is supported by said fowl supporting means; and mechanism for rotating the said members in opposite directions with the fingers on the surfaces of said members adjacent said fowl supporting means approaching each other and simultaneously beating and flexing when contacting the depending fowl, whereby the beating force applied to the fowl is distributed to both sides of the fowl.

l 7. A mechanical fowl picker device of the striker type comprising a means consisting of a pair of rotatable members arranged on horizontal axes; a fowl supporting means for freely supportlng a fowl in depending position between said rotatable members; means for vertically reciprocating one of said means to and from fowl picking position; flexible ngers mounted on said rotatable members for contacting a fowl with positive inward and downward pressures while said fowl is supported by said fowl supporting means; mechanism for rotating the said members in opposite directions with the ngers on the surfaces of said members adjacent said fowl supporting means approaching each other and simultaneously beating and flexing when contacting the depending fowl, whereby the 'beating force applied to the fowl is distributed to both sides of the fowl; andmeans for moving the fowl supporting means to and from position above the fowl picker means.

8. A mechanical fowl picker device of the striker type comprising a means consisting of a pair of rotatable members; a fowl supporting means for moving a fowl into and out of picking alignment with said rotatable members and for freely supporting a fowl in depending position between said rotatable members; means for vertically reciprocating one of said means to and from fowl picking position; flexible fingers mounted on said rotatable members for contacting a fowl with positive inward and downward pressures while said fowl is supported by said fowl supporting means; and mechanism for rotating the said members in opposite directions with the fingers on the surfaces of said members adjacent said fowl supporting means approaching each other and simultaneously beating and exing when contacting the depending fowl, whereby the beating force applied to |the fowl is distributed to both sides of the fowl.

EDDY E. MCMAHAN. ANTOINE CHARLEBOIS. 

